Shoppers say 'move over Baileys' after trying Tesco's award-winning Irish cream

Daily Record

10 hours ago

Coole Swan, the award-winning Irish cream liqueur, is now available for £20 in selected Tesco stores with a Tesco Clubcard, down from £26.50. Some people say it's better than Baileys
Fans of Irish cream know the simple pleasure of unwinding on a summer evening with a glass of something smooth, creamy and indulgent. The brand that immediately comes to mind is, of course, a cult classic Baileys but there's another bottle that our very own shopping editor highly recommends that rivals it in taste - and it's currently on offer at Tesco.
Coole Swan, the acclaimed Irish cream liqueur, is now available for just £20 in selected Tesco stores with a Tesco Clubcard, down from its usual price of £26.50. Cheaper than Amazon's price of £25.95, it's a saving of £6.50 on a drink that some people are saying is 'like Baileys, but better.
Made with single-malt Irish whiskey, Belgian white chocolate, and fresh dairy cream from the brand's family farm in Ireland, Coole Swan is a true testament to high-quality ingredients and careful blending. In fact, one customer said it's in a 'different league' to other drinks - quite the compliment.
It's not just customers who are marvelling at this concoction - the drink has also won prestigious awards. This includes Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and being named the #1 Irish cream liqueur by Tasting Table, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Testing it alongside Baileys, a long-standing favourite, Narin explained: "Putting the two glasses next to each other, it's easy to see one of the key differences in ingredients reflected in the colour of the glorious nectars. Coole Swan's Belgian white chocolate origins give it a lighter colour than Baileys' rumoured milk chocolate blend. You'd imagine that Coole Swan, being white chocolate-based, would taste sweeter, but to my surprise - and possibly due to the strength of the malt -it tasted more mellow, smoother, and had less of an initial kick.
"While I love Baileys, for me, the taste comes in stages - you have the initial sweet scent and then the first hit of warmth when you swallow, and then it's eased by the cream that extinguishes the fire. Coole Swan has all of the same elements, but somehow they blend in a way where you get them all simultaneously - there's no fiery undertone and no sweet hit; it's just all beautifully, perfectly balanced from the first sip."
Narin added: "Both drinks have a similar alcohol volume - Baileys is 17% while Coole Swan is 16% ABV - but Coole Swan feels less boozy, making it drinkable to the point of moreish. But for me, there's one thing that makes Coole Swan a next-level Irish cream choice and worth the slightly more expensive price tag."
There are a large number of equally as delicious alternatives on the market with similar price tags, such as Hotel Chocolat's Espresso Martini flavoured vodka liqueur priced at £23, often compared to a decadent liquid tiramisu, and Micil Connemara Irish Cream Liqueur which is slightly pricier at £27.67.
However Coole Swan has over 1,200 glowing reviews and an impressive 4.7-star average on Amazon. Likewise, Tesco customers have lavished a stellar 4.7 out of five stars upon the liqueur.
One happy Coole Swan customer shared their testimony and said: "This is so beautiful, creamy and a better class of liqueur. Move over, Baileys, there's a new drink in town."
For one customer, it wasn't quite their cup of tea as they noted: "Nice drink but too sweet."
That being said, fans of the drink have been singing its praises with another shopper raving: "The most delicious Irish cream liqueur I have ever tasted. Creamy, luxuriously smooth and very moreish. The taste of alcohol is not overwhelming either, which I find with Baileys and other Irish creams. Don't think I could go back to anything else after trying this; the only downside is the price."
Coole Swan is available here.